Ren, who manages the advanced arena where the Gold Dragon’s successors participate, checked the duel taking place in the control room.
“I didn’t think you’d challenge.”
“If I’ve gained strength, I have to go up.”
The 13th-ranked successor, who hadn’t participated in a long time, challenged the 12th-ranked successor. Both are successors currently undergoing verification. The successor who loses the duel loses their qualification. The position of the disqualified successor is replaced by a clone, and the defeated successor must join the victor’s faction. Thus, the higher the rank, the longer the cycle between duels tends to be.
Ren carefully observed to ensure no issues arose with this long-awaited duel. She set the map randomly. She copied and connected the Dragon Lairs. She sent a notification message and started the duel.
The successors on both sides moved calmly. They each brought their Guardians and used their own strategies to attack each other. In an unfamiliar place, figuring out what the opponent has and devising countermeasures—that has the greatest impact in the advanced arena.
“I knew it.”
“…Damn!”
The 12th-ranked successor accurately read the opponent’s psychology and gained an advantageous position. But that didn’t mean the match ended instantly. The 13th-ranked successor pushed the 12th-ranked successor using his own Authorities, Secret Techniques, and strategies. A fierce close battle between the two. At its end, most of their forces were exhausted, and a full-on confrontation between the successors arrived. Just as his psychology had been read by the opponent, the 13th-ranked successor had consumed unintended power. As a result, the 12th-ranked successor used the power he had stockpiled to subdue the 13th-ranked successor.
“It’s over.”
Confirming the outcome, Ren sent a message announcing the victor and ended the duel. From now on, it was just waiting indefinitely until another challenger came. But suddenly, someone appeared in the arena.
“Cheon Yongje?”
A powerful successor candidate who had become a successor relatively recently, yet rose to 50th rank with overwhelming skill and growth. An unexpected figure, whom she thought wouldn’t come for a while, had arrived.
“I’ll start right away.”
Even though Ren hadn’t appeared, he showed his intention to start from the waiting room. Ren allowed the duel to proceed as Cheon Yongje wished. The candidate remaining at 49th rank. She sent a message to the successor candidate currently undergoing verification and summoned him to the arena. Since they must accept unless it’s a truly dangerous situation, the 49th-ranked successor candidate immediately agreed. She created a door leading to the arena stage in front of Cheon Yongje. Calmly, Cheon Yongje stepped through the door. She created a randomly generated map and copied both Dragon Lairs to form the battlefield.
Ren watched Cheon Yongje closely. Until now, he had played without risk against clones, but from now on, it was competition with real candidates. If he lost, problems could arise. But Cheon Yongje moved immediately, as if he didn’t care about such things. He walked alone into the enemy camp, faced multiple enemies, and reached out his hand. The immense power condensed in his hand blew away the Dragon Lair as is.
Kwaaaaang!
Less than three minutes had passed since the duel started. Such an overwhelming difference in skill. Cheon Yongje subdued his opponent too easily. And he didn’t stop there.
“Next.”
He requested the next duel to go higher. Ren designated the next opponent as requested. She created a new map, copied the opponent’s Dragon Lair, and formed the arena. Each time, Cheon Yongje stepped forward alone and dealt with the opponent in an instant. She had seen countless successors so far, but she had never seen anyone act so unconventionally. Even the successor known to be closest to becoming the current successor took a long time.
Kwaaaaang!
Kwang!
Cheon Yongje cleaned up his opponents very lightly and easily, placing them under his command and raising his rank one by one.
40.
30.
20.
10.
With an unstoppable straight charge, he reached the place where the top-ranked successors, who could be called the highest rankers, resided. A section that had seen no change for hundreds of years. They had been wary of each other’s skills, and none tried to go higher.
They only moved for one reason: when a successor above them died and became a clone. Otherwise, they absolutely never moved. That was how long the rankings had been frozen.
Cheon Yongje stepped onto the place where a thick wall had been built. And he kindly smashed that wall with his foot.
Kwaaaaang!
The 10th-ranked ranker was defeated with great ease. The eyes of the ranker defeated by Cheon Yongje shook. How could there be such a difference in skill? He seemed unable to understand why he had lost.
But instead of explaining, Cheon Yongje called for the next. Ren swallowed her saliva and summoned the next ranker.
9th.
The single-digit rankers were those who had survived the Seven Hunts waged by the traitorous Dragon Gods and become owners of a dimension. Their skill was just that solid. It was also why they climbed while watching each other.
Since all were of similar skill, to go up without a single loss, they chose a safe path even if it took time.
Cheon Yongje didn’t choose that safe path but kept going straight.
8.
7.
6.
2.
The 2nd-ranked ranker, Bred, fought a fierce battle unlike the other rankers. But the result was the same. The final victor was Cheon Yongje, and he accepted the defeated ones into his faction.
Now only one spot remained. Cheon Yongje called out for the next and declared a challenge to the 1st-ranked ranker to claim that remaining spot.
There had been many 1st-ranked in history, but the current 1st-ranked was evaluated as being closest to becoming the Lord’s successor. She had achieved the feat of capturing all Seven Dragon Gods and then taking down the Black Dragon God’s Supreme Apostle.
Ren didn’t just send a message; she contacted her directly.
“Bidel, a challenge request has come to the arena.”
“I’ll go.”
With a brief reply, a random map was created, and a vast battlefield formed connecting their Lairs. The enormous force Bidel had amassed while rising to 1st place. The enormous force Cheon Yongje had amassed upon reaching 2nd place. The two great forces faced each other.
‘Bidel has the advantage.’
Bidel had achieved a lot alongside her forces over hundreds of years. On the other hand, Cheon Yongje had climbed the arena at tremendous speed and had no time to consolidate forces.
It was a situation where they inevitably operated separately compared to Bidel. Ren was very curious about what outcome would appear at the end. Thus she watched the two closely. A new battlefield was created.
—
A plain so vast that it was on a completely different level from before. With that plain at the center, enormous mountain ranges stood at both ends. Beneath the mountain ranges were giant cave entrances of immense size.
As he stepped outside, he saw a woman walking out from the opposite side. One with horns and wearing oriental clothes. The existence long talked about as the most likely candidate for the Lord’s successor. He stood facing the current 1st-ranked.
“I feel like I’ve seen you before.”
“We brushed past each other at a tavern.”
“My name is Bidel.”
“I’m Cheon Yongje.”
“I’ll be blunt. Join me.”
Her imposing demeanor suited her quite well. The powerful force emanating from Bidel, and her confident appearance befitting that power, were good to see, but he had no intention of joining anyone. He wanted to take revenge on those who tried to kill him with his own hands.
“Sorry, but negotiations are broken.”
“Unexpected? Everyone else asks to join me as soon as they see me.”
“Giving up without even fighting? They were useless from the start.”
“Interesting. Well, if you’re a successor who made it this far, you have to fight with fists, not words, right? It’s been a while, so I’m a bit nervous.”
Contrary to her words, Bidel grinned and raised her momentum. A power so strong that ordinary people couldn’t handle it. Her Divine Power, accumulated over a long time, spread in all directions and pressured him.
He also resisted using Divine Power. Though he had been a lesser god for a shorter time than Bidel, its power was not inferior.
He possessed three Dimensions. Those Dimensions sent him enormous Divine Power, and after capturing the Supreme Apostle, that power became very strong.
“Ooh?”
Bidel let out an exclamation of slight surprise and grinned.
“Since our fight seems to be pushed back anyway, let’s meet again a little later.”
Turning around, Bidel went to her Lair and took a position. From inside the Lair, Bidel’s enormous forces appeared. But Cheon Yongje was not the only one with forces. He also turned and walked to his own Lair.
He took in the enormous army marching out of the Lair. From the Orcs who had been with him from the start, to the SSS-rank Guardians recruited across various Dimensions. The new forces and Guardians brought in through the arena.
The strong gathered from three Dimensions. The Demonkind of the Demon Realm conquered by Turkan.
A force so vast it could not be taken in at once bowed their heads to him and walked forward. Ropenheim, the Commander-in-Chief standing at the very front, placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Shall we sweep them all away?”
“Yes. Let’s clearly show them how much power we have.”
“Understood.”
Ropenheim walked out confidently and drew his sword.
“All troops, charge.”
A deep voice that seemed to echo from the cave spread calmly across the battlefield, but it was more intense than anything else. The forces responding to Ropenheim’s resonance quickly ran toward Bidel’s army, drawing their weapons. The two groups collided, releasing a tremendous shockwave in all directions.
Even the successors who had been hesitant at first fought harder than anyone once the war began. He used his Authority so that they would fight even harder and win. He bestowed the Lesser God’s Blessing to better draw out their inherent power.
Woooooong!
The light that fell over the wide area raised the troops’ morale. Those who received power advanced even more fervently. The same was true for the opponent. Receiving the blessing Bidel used, the battle became even fiercer.
Kwaaaaang!
Kwajajajang!
Explosions, collapses, and disappearances of things were basic from such mighty power. If this battle had taken place in a single world, it was so fierce that one might think that world would disappear. In the battle that continued for hours, the defeated left the battlefield one by one, and at the end, only Bidel and Cheon Yongje remained. That was how fierce the clash was.
“…I thought I had a slight advantage. But that wasn’t the case.”
Bidel looked at the devastated battlefield and chuckled. With that, she once again raised her Divine Power. He also raised his Divine Power to match and faced Bidel.
“Let’s finish this quickly. Those guys will be moving soon.”
“Those guys?”
“I’ll tell you if you surrender.”
“I’ll hear it after I win.”
Bidel concentrated her Authority, focusing all her power. A single powerful blow with all her might. In response, he also concentrated everything he had. Thus, they unleashed their strongest single blow at each other.
Kwaaaaaaaaaang!
Everything around them vanished with a tremendous explosion. Their bodies repeated a cycle of annihilation and regeneration. He focused his mind and maintained his power.
As his power gradually depleted and his eyes slowly began to close, his mind snapped awake and a message appeared.
[You have won the arena.]
As the message disappeared, he returned to the waiting room. Bidel stood before him, the corners of her mouth lifted as she looked at him.
“Pass.”
Ppak!
Bidel snapped her fingers, and the surroundings changed. In a Void Space with nothing, he faced a Gold Dragon so vast it was beyond measure. A Gold Dragon made of gold.
He could instinctively feel it the moment he faced its existence.
“Dragon Lord.”
[Welcome, True Successor.]